ABC's "Resurrection" Opens at #1 and as TV's Top-Rated Mid-Season Drama in 2 Years - "Once" Returns Up 21% and "Revenge" +46%

ABC Sunday Prime (8-11pm - 7.9 million and 2.2/7 in AD18-49): With the mid-season return of Once Upon a Time, the series debut of Resurrection and the time-period premiere of Revenge, ABC won Sunday in Adults 18-49, outdelivering all-original lineups on Fox by 29% (1.7/5) and CBS by 38% (1.6/5). As Once Upon a Time returned up +21% from its Winter Finale in Adults 18-49, all 4 of ABC's dramas with split-season schedules came back ahead on their mid-season returns: Grey's +15%, Scandal +6% and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland +13%. ABC's Resurrection opened as Sunday's #1 broadcast in both Total Viewers (13.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.6/9).

· Excluding only the Oscars and the AMAs, ABC marked its strongest Sunday this season in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

Once Upon a Time (8-9pm - 7.3 million and 2.3/7 in AD18-49): Returning for its first telecast in 3 months (since 12/15/13), ABC's Once Upon a Time came back with strong increases in Total Viewers (+14%) and Adults 18-49 (+21%). In viewers and young adults, the ABC drama hit its best numbers since the beginning of November - since 11/3/13.

Resurrection (9-10pm - 13.3 million and 3.6/9 in AD18-49): Spiking over its lead-in by 6.0 million viewers and by 57% in Adults 18-49 at 9pm, ABC's Resurrection opened as TV's top-rated mid-season drama in 2 years - since 2/6/12. Overall in Total Viewers it was the 2013-14 season's 2nd-most-watched drama debut, behind only CBS' Intelligence coming out of NCIS (on 1/7/14). In addition, the new show generated ABC's largest audience with a series in the time period since January 2010 and its highest Adult 18-49 number since January 2011 - since 1/10/10 and 1/9/11, respectively.

Revenge (10-11pm - 6.5 million and 1.9/5 in AD18-49): Moving into the 10pm hour, ABC's Revenge was up double digits from its most recent telecast 2 months ago (on 1/19/14) in Total Viewers (+20%) and Adults 18-49 (+46%). In Adults 18-49, Revenge earned its best number since early-October - since 1/6/13.

Quick Take for Sunday, March 9, 2014
(Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

With the mid-season return of "Once Upon a Time," the series debut of "Resurrection" and the time-period premiere of "Revenge," ABC won Sunday in Adults 18-49 (2.2/7), outdelivering all-original lineups on Fox by 29% (1.7/5) and CBS by 38% (1.6/5). ABC's "Resurrection" opened as Sunday's No. 1 broadcast in both Total Viewers (13.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.6/9).

· As "Once Upon a Time" returned up 21% in Adults 18-49, all 4 of ABC's dramas with split-season schedules came back ahead of their Winter Finales: "Grey's" +15%, "Scandal" +6% and "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" +13%.

· Excluding only the "Oscars" and the "AMAs," ABC marked its strongest Sunday this season in Total Viewers (7.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.2/7).

"Once Upon a Time" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 7.3 million and 2.3/7 in AD18-49):

Returning for its first telecast in 3 months (since 12/15/13), ABC's "Once Upon a Time" came back with strong increases in Total Viewers (+14%) and Adults 18-49 (+21%), hitting its best numbers since the beginning of November - since 11/3/13.

"Resurrection" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 13.3 million and 3.6/9 in AD18-49):

Spiking over its lead-in by 6.0 million viewers and by 57% in young adults at 9:00 p.m. and gaining audience from start to finish, ABC's "Resurrection" opened as TV's top-rated mid-season drama in 2 years among Adults 18-49 - since 2/6/12. Overall in Total Viewers, it was the 2013-14 Season's 2nd-most-watched drama opener, behind only CBS' "Intelligence" coming out of "NCIS" (on 1/7/14). In addition, the new show generated ABC's largest audience with a series in the time period since January 2010 and its highest Adult 18-49 number since January 2011 - since 1/10/10 and 1/9/11, respectively.

"Revenge" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 6.5 million and 1.9/5 in AD18-49):

Moving into the 10:00 p.m. hour, ABC's "Revenge" was up double digits from its most recent telecast 2 months ago (on 1/19/14) in Total Viewers (+20%) and Adults 18-49 (+46%). In Adults 18-49, "Revenge" earned the show's best number since early-October and delivered ABC's top rating in the slot with series programming since September 2012 - since 10/6/13 and 9/30/12, respectively.

A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 49% currently, from 47% at the same point in 2013. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings, 03/09/14.